Newton, MA, 05/14/2019- Today The Liberal Gun Club issued an Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court in support of the petitioners in the case of new York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc., v. The City of New York and the New York City Police Department- License Division, which challenges a law that unconstitutionally restricts when and where New York City residents can transport their firearms. New York City’s transport ban fails all heightened scrutiny and substantially burdens the lawful conduct of citizens.

As has been found in a recent case regarding safe and legal abortions, laws that restrict the rights of citizens must be narrowly tailored to be the least intrusive means of serving the governments interest. In the current case before the court the law has been used as a bludgeon rather than as a scalpel, resulting in the inability of NYC Citizens to transport their firearms in any manner, whether it be to their second home or training class, putting them at unnecessary risk and unable to gain levels of proficiency that all other states, including those that have heavy regulation, are available to them.

This law also prevents the citizens of New York City from carrying their firearm in the other 38 states that they could otherwise carry in, if not for this law, applying their laws nationally, regardless of local regulations.

In addition, although it’s not found in the brief, this law misses addressing the root causes of violence by a mile. Rather than working on the real issues behind violence such as toxic masculinity, the generational oppression of minorities, and a lack of universal healthcare, including mental health care, this law is used as a way to substantially impact those gun owners who abide by the law.